March 12, 2018
On March 11, 2018 at approximately 1:40 pm Deputies
responded to a citizen compliant approximately 2 miles south of Otter Creek. A
911 caller told dispatchers they were on the side of US 19 with a woman and her
10 year old child and help was needed. The caller told dispatchers the woman
was seen attempting to push the child into oncoming traffic several times.
Deputies arrived and spoke to Cherissa Latryce Drew (2-8-71)
of Orlando. Mrs. Drew spun a very strange story while speaking to deputies. She
initially told deputies she was kicked out of her vehicle by her husband after
arguing with him. She said the husband took her and their child from their home
in Orlando, ordered her to leave all of their electronic devices behind and
threatened to kill her and flee with the child. She also told deputies her
husband had murdered her mother in Orlando before they left.
While our deputies were speaking to Mrs. Drew, she partially
disrobed and attempted to flag down other passing motorist. Deputies attempted
to control her actions and she immediately appeared to faint then began
complaining of chest pains. EMS arrived and began treating her inside of the
ambulance.
Shortly after entering the ambulance a paramedic quickly
summoned deputies and told them Mrs. Drew was suffocating the child. Deputies
entered the ambulance and saw Mrs. Drew clutching the flailing child, holding
her tightly around the neck and against her chest. Deputies saw Mrs. Drew had
covered the child’s face with a shirt. Deputies wrestled the child from Mrs.
Drew grasp. Mrs. Drew resisted violently as our deputies attempted free the
child from her and arrest her.
Mrs. Drew was arrested and transported to the Levy County
Detention Facility. She has been charged with battery on a law enforcement
officer, attempted murder, child abuse, neglect of a child, indecent exposure
in public and resisting arrest. Her bond has been set at $386,000.00.
Based upon Mrs. Drew’s claim of a domestic disturbance and
her statement the husband had committed a murder, deputies continued to scour
the area for hours looking for Mr. Drew. Investigators with the LCSO Criminal
Investigations Division also contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to
relay the information obtained. Orange County S. O. initiated an investigation
in order to locate the mother who was reported to have been killed and attempt
to locate Mr. Drew. The mother was found safe at her home in Orlando. Thus far,
Mr. Drew has not been located.
Anyone with information that could aid this investigation is
asked to contact Investigator Mike McNeil at 352-486-5111 extension 266.